Redaction Time4Avia Images: Air White Wale
With the rollout of its first prototype, the W5000 unmanned aerial vehicle, and once certified, this UAV will become the world’s largest aircraft of its kind. The first deliveries are scheduled for 2026.
Air White Whale was founded in 2021 and is backed and supported by the Changzhou-based Jinlong Investment Group. Its board of directors consists of former executives from Comac, Airbus China, and GE Aviation. At the launch ceremony, Hu Zhendong, Chairman and CEO of Air White Whale, expressed his confidence in the future of large cargo drones, stating that these aircraft are destined to become a cornerstone of the air cargo industry.
Its first maiden flight is scheduled for 2027, and although no details regarding its future order book have been obtained, as the manufacturer’s executives claim, it promises to revolutionize the air cargo sector.
The first W5000 UAV rolled off the company’s production line in the eastern Chinese city of Changzhou on October 18, 2024. The aircraft offers a maximum payload of five tons (11,023 lb) and a maximum takeoff weight of 10.8 tons (23,809 lb). The UAV has a maximum range of 2,600 km and can travel at a cruising speed of 526 km/h. The company has already submitted certification documents to Chinese regulators and plans to enter commercial service during the second half of 2026.
